Copper Etching Aquatint: Step Three – Etching

Posted on: September 27th, 2014

Printing

Put a phone book page underneath your plate, to reduce cleanup and unwanted ink. Although it is a soya-based ink and easily cleaned up (we use the brand Akua), the phone book page keeps your plate and ultimately your print cleaner.

Chine-Collé 

This is the process of gluing paper into your print. You can use irregular shapes or you can cut a piece of paper that fits your plate exactly. Just remember the order. You need to put the plate on the press first, then the chine-collé paper (glue-side facing up), then the paper you are printing onto (soaked in the water tray and blotted), then newsprint. The newsprint protects the felts and will collect any access glue. Run the print through the press with regular pressure. If the glue dries on the chine-collé paper, don’t worry; the water in the paper will activate the glue. Place print with chine-collé under the boards (sandwiched between newsprint or tissue) and weight with something heavy. Prints generally need at least 24 hours to dry. If your paper feels cold, it indicates that it is still not dry.

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